The best chef in Bernardin

The Slovenian coast is rich in many treasures such as the sea, cliffs, hills, a rich historical and cultural background... all of which are actively connected with gastronomy. The flavours of the natural local ingredients of the Mediterranean, with a touch of the sea and Istria... inspire a wide variety of ideas for new culinary wonders by our chef Aleš Grašič, who creates in Grand hotel Bernardin 5*.

The first thing you notice about Aleš, the head chef of Grand hotel Bernardin 5*, is that he is in love with his work. He enjoys creating menus, dishes and flavours which are based on local ingredients. If you’re looking for a perfect risotto that is praised even by the most demanding Italian guests, an excellent fish carpaccio or fillet and an astonishing dessert, then Grand hotel Bernardin is without a doubt the perfect destination for you.

The vision of the cuisine in Grand hotel Bernardin focuses on natural ingredients and creates flavours with a Mediterranean & Italian touch. The guideline remains Less is more, thus our chef swears by local dishes with a modern twist.

It was spontaneous, natural and unplanned... and it turned into love already during his school years. Aleš cooked for the first time in elementary school, starting as any pupil with instant puddings. He quickly upgraded “the recipe” by mixing vanilla and chocolate flavours. After finishing the Secondary school for catering and tourism of Maribor, making puddings turned into preparing mashed potatoes and spinach. At 18 years Aleš was already working in Grand hotel Bernardin during his internship. Then he enriched his knowledge by attending culinary workshops in Chioggia, by learning with Bine Volčič and cooking shows.  Becoming a master chef is a maturation process which requires constant work, a passionate desire to create and the will to incessantly improve your work until the results are perfect. 

Love goes through the stomach. Aleš is inspired by his love for minimalism and textures in combination with molecular cuisine. He values tidy spaces, precision and organization. He is convinced that quality is based on order and discipline. A perfect cuisine requires a vision and perfection on the plate, which is created by the chaos of constantly improving the dish. The final, prefect synergy of taste and outlook can be achieved only by trying out flavours and techniques, repeating and looking for solutions.

Basic and simple... pasta »bavette« with tomato sauce, fresh basil and parmigiano cheese.

Chef Aleš Grašič would highlight the cold starter which was also part of the winning menu at the Tourism and hospitality chamber competition. He has perfected the dish to the point where the fish flavours (trout, zander and salmon, each prepared in a different way) complement the pig crust in which the trout tartar is fried.  He added local components such as olive foam with white truffles and fleur de sel.

Trout tartar fried in pig crust - Poached zander fillet - Salmon brik with olive foam, truffles and buckwheat popcorn - Buckwheat porridge in porcini mushrooms aspic - Olive air - Trout caviar - Poached quail egg with fleur de sel - Young salads

Visit Grand hotel Bernardin to make you culinary wishes come true. Delicious specialties for every taste can be found in various locations: Grand restaurant and Pečina restaurant in Grand hotel Bernardin; restaurant Barka next to the acquapark Laguna Bernardin, restaurant Pristan and Mesečeva in hotel Histrion, Restaurant Taverna Mediteran on the promenade in Bernardin; the covered terrace Grand Garden, Grand Café and piano bar in 5* Grand hotel Bernardin, Café San Bernardino in hotel Histrion and pizzeria Batana in Piran.